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As an incoming student, you probably have lots of questions. Our student ambassadors are happy to tell you anything you’d like to know about the Simon experience. Send any of them a personal email by clicking their name below. If you don't see someone with a similar background to yours, email us at admissions@simon.rochester.edu and we’ll do our best to match you with a candidate with more closely aligned interests and career goals.

Hometown: Pottstown, PAUndergraduate School and major: University of Virginia, English Language and LiteratureAcademic focus: Marketing (Brand Management) and EntrepreneurshipPre-MBA career: I spent a decade working in the non-profit sector at Portsmouth Abbey School in Portsmouth, Rhode Island. Upon leaving, I was the director of financial aid and associate director of admission. In addition, I was the head houseparent of a 10th grade girls’ dormitory, and I coached squash and lacrosse. It was much more than a career—it was a lifestyle.Favorite thing about Rochester: Rochester has a little bit of everything and something for everyone: a vibrant arts scene, museums, running and bike trails, restaurants of every cuisine, breweries and vineyards, hiking trails, an incredible (and famous!) farmers’ market, and the list goes on. You won’t have too much free time at Simon, but when you find it, you certainly will be able to fill it!Favorite thing about Simon: Everyone is extremely accessible. Professors, administrators, staff members, career counselors, tutors—everyone is at Simon to help make it the most fruitful two years possible for you. Simon has the resources of a larger school but the community of a smaller one. I’ve been utterly astounded at how well I’ve gotten to know the people here in just six months.Why Simon: The Ain Center for Entrepreneurship was a major factor in choosing Simon. I wanted a school that would foster an entrepreneurial mindset, while providing the analytical and quantitative skills to be a successful entrepreneur. Entrepreneurship at Simon has exceeded my expectations. Since I’ve arrived, I have had the opportunity to seek counsel from several faculty members in the Ain Center, and I have joined the Ain Team to promote entrepreneurship throughout the entire University of Rochester community. In addition, I’ve connected with Simon business owners from across the country to discuss their paths and share ideas about my own.Simon Clubs: Graduate Business Council, Women in Business, Marketing Association, Entrepreneurship Club, Foodies Unite

Hometown: Brooklyn, NYUndergraduate School and major: Villanova University, Computer SciencePre-MBA career: Financial Services, Technology/Project Management FunctionPost-MBA plans: ConsultingFavorite thing about Rochester: Coming from NYC, I appreciate the slower pace of Rochester. There are great restaurants and establishments—I can casually catch up and hang out with classmates without rush.Favorite thing about Simon: There are genuinely good-natured people throughout Simon who support one another, whether it be faculty, staff, students, or alumni. We are competitive but do not let that get in the way of helping each other.Why Simon: Diverse, intimate community. Opportunity to make a difference and build meaningful relationships.Simon Clubs: President, Simon Consulting Club; Managing Director, Simon Vision Consulting; Simon National Black; Simon UNCorked; Simon Foodies Unite; Real Estate Association at Simon

Hometown: Estevan, Saskatchewan, CanadaUndergraduate School and major: University of Regina, Human Resources and MarketingPre-MBA career: I worked as a human resources manager for about five years before deciding to become self-employed for seven years in residential real estate sales.Post-MBA plans: Ideally, I’d like to work in a Leadership Rotational Program or a Human Resources Rotational Program. I also intend to keep investing in real estate as a hobby.Favorite thing about Rochester: The Simon campus. With all the beautiful brick buildings and ivy-covered walls, it looks just like a movie college campus (especially when the leaves start to change color in the fall).Favorite thing about Simon: The people. From the staff to the faculty and students, the people of Simon are so warm, welcoming, and willing to help with whatever you may need.Why Simon: I was initially drawn to Simon because of the employment rate and income average of graduates of the program (ROI). I was also drawn to the smaller class size. As soon as I visited campus, I knew that Simon was the right choice for me. Admissions does a great job of choosing people from diverse backgrounds but who are still quite like-minded. Once I met my future classmates, I was completely sold on the program! And the quantitative nature of the Simon MBA has helped to diversify my skillset.Simon Clubs: Vice President of Careers and Alumni, Simon Women in Business; Vice President of Events and Co-Founder, Simon Foodies Unite; Simon Uncorked

Hometown: Buffalo, NYUndergraduate School and major: University at Buffalo, Double Major - Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical EngineeringAcademic focus: Entrepreneurship, Competitive and Organizational StrategyPre-MBA career: Mechanical Engineering and Program ManagementPost-MBA career plans: Management Consulting - TechnologyFavorite thing about Rochester: I'm excited to be close to family once again and my Buffalo Bills community.Favorite thing about Simon: Its small, tight-knit community and its world-renowned faculty.Why Simon: The personalized admissions experience - I was impressed by the team's commitment to me as an applicant and their willingness to speak with me about the process. Also the quantitative rigor of the program and the quality of the faculty.Simon Clubs: Simon Net Impact, Simon Venture Fund, Consulting, Operations, Technology, and Analytics Club (COTA), Simon Outdoor Adventure Club, and Simon Volunteers

Hometown: Durban, South AfricaUndergraduate School and major: University of KwaZulu-Natal - Finance and EconomicsAcademic focus: Competitive and Organizational StrategyPre-MBA career: Social Impact InvestingPost-MBA career plans: Strategy ConsultingFavorite thing about Rochester: The people of Rochester, and the city sights during fall are also great!Favorite thing about Simon: The cultural, geographical, and professional diversity of my classmates creates an exceptional learning environment.Why Simon: The Simon faculty and the focus on being unabashedly analytical.Simon Clubs: Simon Venture Fund, Simon Vision Consulting, Simon Net Impact, Simon Consulting Club, and Simon UNcorked

Hometown: Boston, MAUndergraduate School and major: University of New Hampshire, Finance, Information Systems ManagementAcademic focus: Marketing (Product Management), EntrepreneurshipPre-MBA career: Financial Strategy & Analytics at Liberty Mutual InsurancePost-MBA plans: Product ManagementFavorite thing about Rochester: Rochester has a great craft beer scene. I’m also looking forward to taking a trip out to the Finger Lakes wineries, which I’ve heard are incredible as well.Favorite thing about Simon: The family feel and support that you get here at Simon is unmatched. Simon is a school where everyone’s opinion is valued, and people treat you with utmost respect and enthusiasm regardless of where you’re from or where you’re going.Why Simon: Given the power of technology and big data today, I knew I wanted to go to a school with a strong quant focus (and Simon is one of the best). What really drew me in was visiting campus and speaking with the incredible staff and students here. Everyone was very genuine and wanted what was best for me and my career progression. At Simon you’re not just a statistic in a recruiting pamphlet, you’re a part of the family and that was really important to me.Simon Clubs: Simon Vision Consulting, Simon Marketing Association, Simon School Venture Fund

Hometown: Eugene, OregonUndergraduate School and major: The University of Oregon, Business and EconomicsAcademic focus: GeneralPre-MBA career: Startup Analyst and FounderPost-MBA plans: Tech StrategyFavorite thing about Rochester: The arts and music culture is everywhere.Favorite thing about Simon: The people!Why Simon: The no-ego culture, the quant heavy classes, and the incredibly smart faculty and staff.Simon Clubs: Simon Entrepreneurship Association, Simon School Venture Fund, Simon Dance Club

Hometown: Cape Town, South AfricaUndergraduate School and major: University of Cape Town, FinanceAcademic focus: Finance and EntrepreneurshipPre-MBA career: Corporate and Investment Banking at Standard Bank in South AfricaPost-MBA plans: Investment Banking associateFavorite thing about Rochester: Lots to do with great food and culture.Favorite thing about Simon: Fantastic mix of career focus and friendly people.Why Simon: Simon has world-class faculty and staff that surround me with career support and advice. As a highly rated finance school with a strong alumni network at top firms across the world, the choice to join Simon was an easy one.Simon Clubs: Simon Finance & Investment Club, Simon School Venture Fund

Hometown: Yorktown Heights, New YorkUndergraduate School and major: University of Delaware, Political Science and EnglishAcademic focus: Brand Management, Minor: Data AnalyticsPre-MBA career: I spent the last five and a half years working at various NYC advertising agencies in an account management role. I led accounts for brands such as Hasbro, Puma, Google Play, YouTube Music, Jägermeister, and AARP.Post-MBA plans: Brand management or marketing strategy in the media/entertainment sectorFavorite thing about Rochester: The people, the great outdoor activities, and of course, Wegmans.Favorite thing about Simon: The tight-knit community.Why Simon: Simon has a reputation for having a quant-heavy, analytics-focused coursework, which was exactly what I was looking for. It has lived up to all of my expectations.Simon Clubs: Simon Marketing Association, Simon Data Analytics, Simon Volunteers

Hometown: Chennai, IndiaUndergraduate School and major: Madras Institute of Technology, Electronics and Communication EngineeringPre-MBA career: Business Analytics in the Commercial Banking IndustryPost-MBA plans: Strategy-FintechFavorite thing about Rochester: It’s a quiet and calm place with scenic trails all around. Rochester is a mix of a big city and a college town.Favorite thing about Simon: Top-notch faculty and learning from the experiences of my diverse classmates. Everyone goes out of their way to help you and wants you to succeed.Why Simon: Simon is one school that follows an analytics-based curriculum with a framework of economics that permeates all the classes. Secondly, Simon is known for its smaller program. You’re able to interact with the faculty very often and get personal attention. Also, it is a great place to bond with each and every one of your classmates. Another key point is Simon’s focus on diversity. This builds a warm, strong, and interesting community.Simon Clubs: Simon Vision Consulting, Simon School Venture Fund, Consulting Club, Simon Foodies Unite

Hometown: Los Angeles, CaliforniaUndergraduate School and major: Oberlin College; Major: Sociology, Minor: Art HistoryAcademic focus: Consulting and FinancePre-MBA career: I've spent the last eight years in real estate and banking. I worked on a two-person development team to launch the largest craft marketplace in Southern California, Crafted, at the Port of Los Angeles. Most recently I drove digital transformation as an internal consultant and marketing manager for the largest housing Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) in the country, Community Preservation Corporation.Post-MBA plans: I’m passionate about the disruptive impact technology can have in the banking and financial services sector. I plan to work in a consulting capacity to drive this change from either an internal or external point of view.Favorite thing about Rochester: I love the music and food scene. Rochester is going through a very cool revitalization period. Coming from real estate, I love seeing communities embrace historic buildings to breathe new life into forgotten spaces. There are some really cool restaurants, bars, and marketplaces where you can sit in a 100-year-old warehouse to enjoy a cocktail and meal set to live music, courtesy of University of Rochester’s Eastman School of Music.Favorite thing about Simon: The people! Simon offers a very supportive environment - every single person here wants to see you succeed. Because of the small class size, you get tons of individual support from career counselors and alumni and are able to form deeper relationships with classmates. From sharing internship search resources to helping each other conduct mock interviews, the collaborative environment cannot be beat.Why Simon: The small cohort size and analytical approach. Simon averages roughly 100 students per graduating class, so students get unparalleled support from professors, career coaches, and alumni and are able to build stronger relationships with classmates. And the analytics-based curriculum provides tangible skills needed in the working world. As a manager, you're expected to back up decisions with data. With a Simon education, I will have a skillset not found in all MBA programs.Simon Clubs: Vice President of Strategy, Real Estate Association at Simon; Consulting Club; Simon Finance & Investing Club; Simon Women in Business; Simon Volunteers; Simon Spectrum; Simon Foodies Unite.